This invention relates to grills and hot plates used in commercial establishments and domestically, and more particularly, to a new or replacement heating unit for such grills.
Cooking grills used in high volume food outlets generally comprise a top plate on the upper surface of which food is placed to be cooked. As shown in FIG. 1, a tubular heating unit 12 is installed beneath a grill plate 10. In actuality, and as shown in FIG. 2, a series of tubular heating units are installed in a side-by-side configuration on the underside of plate 10. The heating units are mounted between the top plate and a bottom plate 14. A layer 16 of a wool-type insulation material is held in place on the underside of plate 14 by yet a third plate 18. This entire assembly is held together by a plurality of spaced bolts 20 which are sufficiently long so to extend through all of the plates. Fasteners 22 are then used to complete the assembly.
There are a number of problems with this construction. First, is the efficiency of the grill to cook food. For example, in high volume cooking, it is expected that the grill will heat a frozen hamburger patty in approximately 35 seconds from the time the patty is placed on the grill. When the grill is at temperature, this will occur. However, when the grill is first turned on, the grill takes up to eight minutes to react to the heat load represented by the patty. Second, the temperature profile across the heating area of the grill is non-uniform. As shown in FIG. 3 in the area adjacent the location of tubular heating elements there is a hot spot. Between adjacent sections of the heating element, there is a substantial fall off in temperature. As a result, food placed on a portion of the grill over a heating element cooks faster than food placed on other parts of the grill. And, for larger items such as steaks, the food is cooked inconsistently.
In addition to the effects on cooking, if a heating element fails, there is a substantial amount of downtime required in order to replace the failed unit. The grill must be disassembled, the unit replaced, and then the grill reassembled before being used again for cooking. If this can be done during normal maintenance periods, there may be little or no impact on food service. If, however, replacement must be made during normal business hours, service will be greatly impaired.